Kinship
by Gothic984
Summary: It's coming close to the Matt's lost daughters birthday and his emotions are not as stable as usual. Meanwhile Lucas chooses to have some fun with the good Doctor.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories Emotion, Old Friends, Family, Difficult Decisions, Reflection, Spirit, Acceptance, Whole Again, Homecoming, Oh Father, Birthday Surprises, Misguided Feelings, New Year and Picture Perfect.

It was a cold mid-February night in Trinity South Carolina and darkness had just fallen. The wind was strong and rattled the wind chimes that were hung up around the farm house, giving this night an extra chill.

Bob Mckenzie stood on his back porch drinking a beer, he had been pacing for the better part of an hour after a visit from Lucas Buck and he could not shake his unease. The Sheriff had previously stopped by unexpectedly a few weeks ago to inform him it was time to pay up on his deal and he had stopped by earlier in the evening to remind him the debt was still owed.

Bob had been young and stupid when Lucas helped him secure the deed on this house, he had not fully understood the implications of making a deal with the man and had gone by for years thinking the debt had been forgotten; however, he should have known better as he had been in this town all his life and knew Lucas Buck would always collect on his deals.

Lucas had initially approached him in the company of his youngest son's friend Caleb Temple, Bob had warned Boone that the boy was a bad apple and the fact that he was hanging around with Lucas Buck confirmed he was right. The first visit was an obvious reminder of their deal; however, the encounter tonight was the finalization of their terms and he was not stupid enough to challenge what Lucas had required of him.

Bob took another large drink of his beer and stared out into the darkness, he spotted two small yellow eyes watching him from the top of the scarecrow in his field and shivered nervously. There was no choice when it came to adhering to Lucas Bucks wishes, Bob had known too many people who had tried to deny the man and had seen them pay the price. He would not be so stupid, he would just accept the terms and do as Lucas commanded. It may be immoral; however, Bob had a family to take care of and he could not afford to deal with the consequences of defying Lucas Buck.

The crow stared curiously at the figure on the porch, it flapped it's wings and cawed then flew off when it sensed the decision had been made.

Lucas opened his eyes and smiled to himself, knowing Bob would come through. He just had to wait patiently and see what would happen when Bob completed his task.

* * *

Merlyn Temple tossed and turned in her bed frustrated, then turned towards the clock on her bedside table. She let out a long sigh when she confirmed it was only 6:30am and kicked off her covers, then put on her robe.

She had been suffering from strange dreams every since she had entered Gail's room the previous month and picked up the mysterious ring, she had even woken up early one morning stood over her cousins bed with no recollection of how she had gotten there. That had been a curious night and she had quickly left the room before her cousin could find her, not knowing how she would react to such an intrusion.

Merlyn did not know what was happening to her or why she was unable to get a good nights sleep. She sensed strange times ahead and could not shake her feeling of unease. She had wanted to talk to her cousin about the dreams she was having; however, she suspected Gail was plagued with her own sleepless nights and did not want to become more of a burden than she already was.

Rocky let out a long yawn and stretched, then came to her side. She smiled at her faithful companion then gave him an affectionate stroke before opening her bedroom door and heading downstairs. It appeared the only constant she had in her life was this dog and she envied his simple existence, all he needed was to run free for a few hours in the day and he was content. If only she could be so easily pleased, her life would be so much less complicated.

Merlyn was taken out of her thoughts by a faint sound in the kitchen, she approached the room cautiously then watched as Gail washed the dishes from last nights supper. 'Mornin'' she called out and smiled at the look of surprise on her cousins face, it appeared she was also shocked that there was someone else up this early.

'What are you doing up at this ungodly hour?' Gail asked, putting away the last of the dishes and drying her hands.

Merlyn shrugged, 'Couldn't sleep...did you have a bad dream?'

Gail sighed and knelt down to stroke Rocky. 'I can't remember the last time I had a good dream...What's bothering you?'

'The same as you I suppose...Do you think it's something we need to be concerned about?'

Gail shook her head and stood up. 'I've suffered with bad dreams all my life, it'd be silly for me to start worrying now. Sit down and I'll make us both a hot drink'

Merlyn watched as Gail filled the coffee pot for herself, then got a pan out and poured some milk in it. Merlyn had become accustomed to warm milk in the morning and she had noticed Gail always made this for her when she was concerned about her. Although she would have liked to be in bed sound asleep like her brother, she was thankful she was not suffering alone. 'Gail, can I ask you somethin'?' she asked, sitting down as instructed.

Gail was not in the mood for questions when she had barely managed to get 3 straight hours of sleep. Her dreams had become more intense, ever since she had awoken in Lucas' study a few weeks earlier. She suspected she needed to figure out the cause of them or they would continue getting worse; however, she had other responsibilities and it was not fair to only focus on herself, when a member of her family was clearly going through something too. 'Of course, what's up?' she said, forcing a welcoming tone and stirred the milk on the hob.

Merlyn did not want to think about her dreams at this present time; therefore, she put that subject out of her mind. She had spotted a boy hanging around on a motorcycle outside Abe's Antique Store and it had caused her to think about Ray, who was the only boy she had ever encountered that had truly noticed her. Lucas had ruined that experience for her, when he had shown Ray her grave and she never really knew what happened to him after that.

Thinking about Ray made her sad; however, this boy she had spotted intrigued her and she could not get him out of her head. 'You and Lucas...' she started.

'What about me and Lucas?' Gail interrupted abruptly, she really was not in the mood for this girls judgement of her.

Merlyn looked down at her hands, sensing her cousins frustration. Although she did not approve of their relationship, she had been trying her best to keep out of her cousins business with him and accepted that Gail had made her own choice about being with Lucas. 'I don't mean nothin'...It's just, well...do you think about him all the time?' she asked nervously.

Gail took the pan off the hob and poured the hot milk into a mug to cool down, before handing it to her cousin. She sensed the nervousness running through Merlyn and signaled for her to follow her into the living room, then sat down on the couch comfortably. 'That man finds a way to inject himself into virtually everything I do, so I suppose it's hard not to think about him...Why do you ask?'

Merlyn shrugged, 'He's a bad man but you continue to tolerate him'

Gail did not sense any judgement in Merlyn voice, this just appeared to be a statement so she remained open to the conversation. 'When you get older you'll come to learn that everything isn't as straight forward as good or bad, especially when men are involved. How Lucas Buck is portrayed by others is not my problem...I'm privy to a different side of him which you may not see and providing he respects me and the people around me, I have no cause for concern...What's this about Merlyn?' she asked, not used to the sound of her dead cousins name on her lips.

Merlyn sighed and turned towards Gail, this conversation was uncomfortable to say the least; however, she had never had a woman that she could talk to and it was about time she took advantage of her position now. 'I think I like a boy, but I'm not sure whether I should'

Gail stared at her cousin in shock for a moment, then started laughing. 'Oh wow, is that all? You had me worried there for a moment...Look, if I had disregarded all my feelings because of being unsure, I'd never have gotten anywhere in life. I understand your caution and personally I'd rather you not look at boys just yet, but it's part of life and that's something you have to experience whether it's a mistake or not'

Merlyn considered her cousins words for a moment, she had been feeling guilty thinking about this boy with what had happened with Ray and had no doubt Lucas would try to sabotage whatever she attempted to accomplish in this town; however, her cousin was right and she had a second chance to live.

Gail smiled and patted her cousin on the knee, then stood up and stretched. 'I'll tell you what, it's nice to have such a normal problem to deal with for a change...You fo get dressed and we'll take Rocky for a walk, that way you can tell me a little more about this boy you've noticed'

Merlyn smiled and stood up, Gail was right and it was nice to have such a simple dilemma rather than all the supernatural stuff she had to deal with previously. 'Alright, I won't be long' she said and rushed upstairs to change.

Gail walked casually to her bedroom and closed the door, she shook her head at book on Trinity's history and the newspaper clippings that were spread all over her bed. She had been up for hours reviewing the information she had available to her and she knew she was showing signs of obsession; however, she did not want to concern her family, so she hid the book and papers under her bed then proceeded to get dressed.

* * *

Matt Crower sat at the desk in his office, staring blankly at the file in front of him. His daughters birthday was approaching and he needed something to take his mind off this sad time of year, so he had chosen to review Lucas Bucks medical file. He knew better than to be so brazen about what he was doing; however, at this moment in time he did not care and he welcomed the man to challenge him, anything to take his mind off his dead daughter.

It had been 4 years since the incident which took his families lives and he still felt responsible. If he had been a better husband and focused more on his family rather than alcohol or his job, maybe they would still be with him today. The only person who knew the full details of what had happened was Lucas Buck, he had not even confided in Gail and his friend had accepted his wish to keep the matter to himself. Matt believed he was solely to blame for the accident and that was his cross to bear, there was no point bringing more people into this when too many people had already been hurt as a result of his stupidity.

Matt stared at the file which detailed Lucas' 'death' just over a year ago and shook his head. Doctor Narome had attempted to take matters into his own hands to stop the threat that plagued Trinity and it appeared the plan almost worked. Matt had warned Lucas when he locked him up in Juniper House that there would be others who would stand up to him and true to his word someone did, it was a shame Doctor Narome's attempt was unsuccessful as Trinity would surely be a better place if Lucas Buck had stayed buried.

'That's not a very humane way of thinkin' Doc...' Lucas said reading his mind as he entered the office, '...I know a few people close to you that would disagree with that statement'

'I wasn't aware I made a statement out loud Sheriff' Matt said bitterly, putting the file in his drawer and standing up.

Lucas laughed and walked further into the office, closing the distance between them. Now that things seemed to be settling down for him, he was more focused on Harvard and what he was getting up to. 'Whoa there Doc, I think I sense a little hostility in your tone. Is that any way to treat the man who's concerned about how you're doing at this sad time?'

Lucas smiled when he saw the anger surface on Matt's face. Of course he knew what time a year this was, he was initially going to leave the man alone due to the consequences messing with the mans sanity would have with Gail; however, now that he was here, he could not help but torture him a little.

Matt tried to hide his anger from the man in front of him; however, his annoyance was too strong and his hatred for Lucas Buck began to flow through his veins.

'Hate is such a strong emotion Harvard...I thought you'd have more control than that'

'What do you want Lucas?' Matt asked, trying to push down his emotions.

Lucas shrugged and walked slowly around the room. 'I told you, I'm checkin' in to see how you're doin'. Believe it or not I can relate Doc...the loss of a child is hard for any man to bear, especially when the child's death was caused as a result of a fathers actions...'

'Shut up' Matt said calmly, trying not to let his true feelings show.

'I guess the worst part is knowing you could've done somethin' to prevent it...' Lucas continued ignoring Matt's request, '...I mean had you been a better man, you could've stopped your wife storming off in a rage...Had I have been more honest, maybe I could've warned Gail and prevented our loss...'

'Shut up!' Matt yelled and slammed his fist down on the desk in front of him. He could not bear this evil man speaking about his family any longer and needed to silence him.

Lucas's smile grew wider and he let out a small laugh. 'Careful now Harvard, we don't want you to have another episode'

Rita came rushing into the office at the sound of the bang made by Matt's fists and stopped in her tracks when she saw Lucas Buck. She glanced at Matt and could see the rage radiating off him; therefore, she instinctively went to his side. 'Can I help you with somethin' Sheriff?' she asked, trying to push away her unease.

Lucas stared at Matt for a moment, then turned his attention to Rita. Had she not been his Deputy's pregnant girlfriend he would have punished her for the intrusion; however, she was and any action towards her would cause a reaction from Ben, which Lucas did not have the patience for. 'Last I heard nurse you should be resting up, due to your delicate condition'

Rita took a deep breath to steady her nerves and grabbed Matt's arm when he went to stand in front of her. 'According to your girlfriend Sheriff, a strong woman doesn't need to rest no matter what condition she's in...Now, if there's nothin' we can do for you, Matt has a patient waitin' to be seen'

Lucas smirked at her fake show of courage and decided to leave them both be for the moment, it was early in the day and he was happy to watch Matt suffer slowly. 'Alright, I wouldn't wanna keep you from your patients Doc...We'll finish this another time'

Matt watched as Lucas left his office and heard Rita let out a sigh of relief. He did not have a sense of relief, he was too concerned with the comment Lucas had started to make about Gail and which related to his loss. Matt could not shake the feeling that Lucas was mocking him and being left in the dark would drive him crazy. He took a deep breath and shook off his feelings of unease, then just signaled for Rita to let his next patient in.

* * *

Gail sat on her car bonnet drinking a latte and staring at the calm movements of the water. After all that had happened over the last few months she could not bear the thought of wasting her time writing mundane articles these days; therefore, she had chosen not to go into her office today and drove to a quiet spot by the Trinity river, so she could be alone with her thoughts.

Gail loved the scenery here in Trinity, there was miles of woodland which she could escape to if the intrusive nature of the locals began to get to her. The town itself was a little small for her liking; however, there appeared to be enough in it to entertain her family and friends. The problem Gail had is she herself did not care about the mundane things other people did and it was getting harder for her to keep herself occupied, without getting herself into trouble. She felt like she was living in the movie 'Groundhog Day', everything was the same day in and day out which was starting to make her feel restless.

She had always believed she was not one to settle in a sleepy little town like this, but she had made her choice and the consequences of that were her own. She was happy everything was working out with Caleb and her family; however, she could not push away her craving for adventure and the mundane tasks she had to complete on a daily basis were certainly not giving her that. Gail knew she had mystery very close to her and she was trying not to think about that, especially after her last attempt to uncover some truth resulted in her waking up in Lucas' mansion with no recollection of what she had been doing for several hours before.

Gail could feel herself becoming obsessed with the secrets that surrounded Lucas Buck and it was not healthy, if anything it seemed to draw her closer to him when she knew he was bad for her. She had no false preconceptions about him and knew Lucas was deceitful, despicable and could be outright cruel to people; however, she was still intrigued by him and her obsession appeared to be growing.

Gail sighed then took a large sip of her latte, every fiber of her being was calling for her to go back to his house and explore the mysteries beyond what appeared to be the property's border. She remembered finding a wooded area and a clearing at the back of the property; however, something within her closed her memories off and all she could see was darkness when she tried to recall what had happened. Merlyn had told her that she had been missing for hours and Gail did not like not being in control of her memories. Something deep within gave her a sense of caution and she tried to push down her intrigue for the time being.

Gail pushed herself off the bonnet of her car and walked slowly towards the edge of the water, shaking her head. It was not in her nature to be so cautious and she was not sure she liked this change in herself as it felt cowardly. She stared out into the water and allowed the peaceful movements of the current to calm her, she suddenly felt a strong urge to continue walking into the river and let it wash away her concerns. All she had to do was keep walking forward and see were the current took her, then all of her problems would be gone and she could finally rest.

'That would be the easy way out love and that ain't in your nature' Lucas said as he approached her from behind.

Gail let out an exasperated sigh and shook her head, she hated when he got inside her mind and would have to ensure her resolve was stronger going forward. 'Haven't you got more important things to be doing than bothering me Sheriff?' she asked sarcastically and turned towards him.

Lucas did not like what he had just sensed in her; however, he was careful to keep his concerns hidden, so he just shrugged at her question and put on his best charming smile. 'I reckon I do, but seeing you is always a pleasure and I'd take that over work any day'

Gail let out a small laugh and walked back towards her car, when Lucas grabbed her arm as she was passing she stared down at his hand unimpressed then stared deep into his eyes. 'I'm not in the mood for your territorial bullshit Lucas' she said calmly, standing tall.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at her unladylike language and regarded her cautiously. Although she had not pulled away from their relationship in the last few weeks, he sensed something was going on with her and did not buy her calm disposition. 'Mind your tongue Darlin', I wouldn't recommend offending me' he warned.

Gail smiled mischievously and bit her bottom teasingly. 'And what will happen if I do cause offense Sheriff?'

Lucas inhaled deeply in an attempt to push down his urges, then smiled devilishly. 'Well I'm not above puttin' you over my knee and givin' you a spanking Miss Emory' he whispered and pulled her closer to him.

'Are you alright Gail?' Ben called, getting out of the police cruiser that was parked next to Gail's Mustang. He had just watched as Lucas grabbed her arm, but could not hold his tongue any longer when he saw his boss pull her roughly to him.

Gail's smile grew wider when she saw the annoyance in Lucas' eyes and she pulled her arm free. 'I'm fine Ben...' she said and started walking towards her friend, '...I was just leaving'

'Where are you goin?' Lucas asked as he approached the pair.

Gail sighed and rolled her eyes, which made Ben smile. 'You're not my keeper Sheriff' she said, then give Ben's arm an affectionate squeeze and returned to her car.

Lucas watched as she drove away and shook his head, then returned to the police cruiser and signaled for Ben to get back in the drivers side.

* * *

Bob McKenzie paced outside his back door nervously, he had a debt to pay and the consequences of going against Lucas Buck would be greater than what he was about to do; therefore, he took a deep breath and downed the rest of his beer, then entered the kitchen through the back door.

Sandra McKenzie stood over the stove staring the stew she had just made, her husband had been acting strange for the past few days so she had chosen to cook his favorite meal and made sure she had plenty of beers in the fridge for him. When Bob entered the kitchen she smiled at him warmly, then turned her attention back to the large pan on the stove. 'Can you give the kids a shout? This is just about done and I could use a hand settin' the table'

Bob walked towards Sandra, then turned her around and placed a soft kiss on her lips. Sandra gave her husband a playful slap on the cheek then turned back towards their dinner, she did not know what was going on with Bob; however, this type of behavior was unlike him and it made her feel a little uneasy.

Bob watched his wife of 15 years sadly and took a deep breath. 'I'm sorry Sandra' he said quietly.

Sandra turned the heat on the stove off and turned back towards her husband with the aim of telling him that this strange behavior had to stop; however, when she saw the look on his face she took a step back. 'Bob what's wrong?' she asked concerned, then fell back against the kitchen counter as the first punch hit her face.

Bob felt a bolt of rage surge through him and began beating his wife. All the anger he felt at himself for making a deal with Lucas Buck came out and he just kept punching her, until she lay a crumpled mess on the kitchen floor. He lifted his fists to his face and shook his head in disgust at himself, then picked up his broken wife carefully and headed out of the house towards his truck.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Matt Crower stood over Sandra McKenzie's bed and stared down at her in disbelief. He had been all set to meet Gail for dinner at the end of his shift, when Bob McKenzie brought her in and there were no other Doctors on call yet to deal with this situation. Matt had never met Bob before; however, he knew his son Boone, as the boy one one of Caleb's best friends. Boone had never shown any indication that abuse was present within his home life, so the fact that Matt had just treated his mother from a clear case of domestic violence was a shock.

Matt had tried to get Sandra to talk; however, she was too upset. The poor woman seemed broken and he felt the anger rise within him the more he looked at her condition. Matt left the room after reassuring Sandra that she would be safe and went to find Bob. This was none of his business, but with everything he was dealing with at the moment he could not control his emotions.

Bob McKenzie sat in the Nurses Station with his head in his hands, Matt stared at the man in disgust and pulled him up roughly by his shirt. 'So you think you're the big man huh?' he asked angrily.

Bob shook his head and tried to push down his own anger, he had already done enough damage to his wife and he did not want to let lose on the town Doctor. 'Mind your own business friend' Bob said, pulling away from the mans grip.

Matt laughed, 'Are you stupid? With how gossip spreads in this town this will be everyone's business come morning...You feel good after beating on a woman? I guess you haven't got the balls to take on a real man' Matt challenged.

Bob glanced around to see if anybody was watching them, it was late and there was only one Nurse covering the desk so he approached the Doctor. 'You wanna take me on Doc? Well come on then'

Matt walked towards Bob with every intention of hitting the man, then felt a hand on his shoulder and he was pulled back.

'Now, now Harvard...I don't think it'll go over well if I have to arrest you for assault again' Lucas said smugly and released his hand from Matt's shoulder.

Bob stared at Lucas with hatred in his eyes, then backed off and sat back down.

Matt watched as Bob retreated, then turned towards Lucas. 'Are you here to arrest that man?'

Lucas glanced at Bob and smiled when he saw the defeated man before him. 'Unless his wife has a statement to give I can't do anythin' here Harvard...'

'Bullshit' Matt spat out and started walking back towards Sandra's room.

'You know you're the second person to use that language around me, is there somethin' in the air tonight?' Lucas asked sarcastically and smiled when Matt stopped in his tracks.

Matt shook his head and took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his emotions. He was tired and all he had wanted to do was have a quiet evening with his friend; however, he felt his anger just below the surface and was about ready to snap. 'You're Lucas Buck aren't you?' he asked sarcastically, turning back around.

Lucas laughed, 'I most certainly am Doc...and that's Buck with a B'

Matt tried to not let the mans casual mood bother him; however, he could feel his blood boiling. 'That's right, the almighty Lucas Buck...Since when can't you do anything? I suppose being on a woman's leash has caused you to lose your edge' Matt goaded and smiled when he saw Lucas' demeanor change.

Lucas had not expected Matt to stand up to him so soon and he was not prepared for the insult. He sensed Bob look towards him at the mans comment and suddenly his rage began to rise. Lucas approached Matt and squared up to him, 'I ain't on no-ones leash Doc' he said sternly.

Matt laughed in his face and his smile grew wider when he saw the fury in Lucas' eyes. He had been in this town long enough to know it was hard to make Lucas Buck lose control in public; however, it appeared he had found his temporary Achilles heel. 'Oh I beg to differ Sheriff, have you seen yourself recently? Pining like a love sick puppy doesn't suit you'

Lucas took a step closer to Matt so their faces were nearly touching. 'As we have a mutual relationship with a certain person, I'll let that comment fly just this once...'

'See Sheriff...' Matt interrupted, '...that would be the leash I'm referring to'

Lucas felt his twin clawing to be released, just seeing the smug look on Harvard's face was justification enough to him to end his life; however, something deep down was holding him back. 'Careful Doc, she might not be there to protect you for much longer...I doubt she'd condone being friends with a man who caused the death of his own child'

Matt felt rage surge through him and had to push down the urge to strike the officer of the law in front of him, Lucas had tricked him before and he would not allow him to do it again.

Lucas sensed the rage within the man before him and smiled, this was his chance and the good Doctor just need one last push. 'You know I could be wrong...' he said quietly, '...she might actually relate to your predicament, considering she had to deal with the pain of losing our child a little while ago'

'What?' Matt asked confused, then felt his rage burst out of him at the thought of Gail being pregnant with Lucas Buck's child. He could not think clearly any longer and before he could stop himself, he laughed at Lucas then punched him square on the jaw.

Lucas took the punch, then retaliated with a knee to Matt's gut and pushed the man to the floor. 'Oh Doc, I'm sure you know the drill by now...' Lucas said smugly while stroking his jaw with his hand, '...Assaulting an office is a crime here in South Carolina'

Matt came to his senses and stood up, then smoothed off his jacket. 'I know the drill Sheriff, shall we?' he asked sarcastically, signaling towards the exit.

Lucas laughed at the mans willingness and led him towards his car, winking at Nurse Stacey who was covering the Nurses desk on his way out.

* * *

Gail sat in the restaurant staring at the clock above the large fireplace impatiently, she had been looking forward to a nice relaxing dinner with her friend; however, it appeared she had been stood up.

The waiter had came by on several occasions to check if she needed anything, thankfully she had decided to wait for Matt before she had ordered otherwise she would have been dining alone. Gail got up from the table and started to walk towards the exit, she had waited an hour for Matt and had heard nothing from him when she called his office at the hospital; therefore, she decided to call it a night and deal with him in the morning.

After her run in with Lucas she had felt on edge all day and was not ready to return to her home just yet; therefore, she drove to the Buck mansion and parked her car in the driveway, not caring what the locals would say. She sat in her Mustang staring at the extravagant mansion before her for a few minutes, before exiting the car and entering the garden through the side entrance. Lucas' car was not in the driveway so she had this place to herself, she did not know what she hoped to accomplish being here but she would wait for his return and see where the night took her.

* * *

Ben sat behind the front counter of the Sheriffs Station filling in the arrest report for Matt Crower. He was not happy with Lucas for bringing the man in, especially so late in the evening.

'Haven't you got a nice woman to go home to Deputy?' Lucas asked, appearing from his office.

Ben sighed, of course he had Rita to go home to; however, he did not want to leave Matt alone with Lucas and had chosen to stay past his shift. 'I'm just finishin' up a few things Lucas' he lied.

Lucas approached the counter shaking his head. 'Come on Ben, you've given me hell before over you not bein' able to speak your mind, so why are you holdin' back now?'

Ben closed the report and slammed it down on the counter, harder than he had intended. 'Well fine Lucas...I don't know why you've brought him in! The guys been through enough this past year'

Lucas smiled, clearly his Deputy was tired otherwise he would not have reacted so hot headed. He knew Ben did not trust him to be alone with Matt and his Deputy was choosing to stay here to guard the man, rather than going home to his pregnant girlfriend. 'Who I bring in is none of your concern Ben...The good Doctor is safe enough behind bars and I ain't gonna interfere with that, he just needs some time to cool off'

Ben sighed and shook his head, he did not know what had happened just that Matt had hit Lucas. Ben knew well enough that if Matt Crower became violent there must have been a reason. 'Have you told Gail yet?' he asked curiously.

Lucas laughed, 'If I had don't you think she would've been here by now?'

'He had plans with her Lucas, she told me earlier today...She might be worried'

Lucas opened his minds eye and stretched it all over Trinity, then smiled. 'She's where she belongs Ben, so is Harvard for the time being...Go home, he ain't goin' anywhere until at least the mornin''

Ben glanced at Floyd who was sat reading a paper, it was his late shift tonight and he supposed Matt would have to be alright under his supervision. 'I'll go if you go' Ben said and reached for his jacket.

Lucas sighed, he did have an unexpected visitor that he should not keep waiting. 'Alright Ben, I'll walk out with you...Keep an eye on our prisoner Floyd, we wouldn't want anythin' bad happenin' to him' Lucas said and walked out of the building with his friend.

* * *

Matt sat on the hard bed in the cell staring at his surroundings, he could not believe he was here again and cursed himself for not controlling his emotions. He supposed it could be worse and Lucas could have been tormenting him; however, according to Floyd it appeared that the Sheriff had finished his shift, which meant he was alone with him for the rest of the night.

Matt refused to let himself get angry or stressed over his predicament. It was not like he was in Juniper House and everyone had forgotten about him, this time he had friends and he had no doubt that when Gail found out what had happened she would be pissed with both him and Lucas. He would not give the man the satisfaction of any reaction here; therefore, he chose to just lie down on the uncomfortably hard bed and enjoy the peace and quiet.

* * *

Lucas entered his property, took off his jacket and hanged it up on a coat rail. He sensed Gail's presence instantly; however, she did not appear to be in his study where she usually liked to settle when he was not home and he sensed she was deeper within his domain. He bypassed the main rooms by the entrance and walked down a long dark corridor, he could not pin point her exact location and the force which was shielding her here was beginning to bother him.

Lucas passed the Library that she liked to sneak into every so often when she believed he was unaware of her snooping, then turned down a part of the house he had not allowed her to visit. He stopped when he saw light radiating from beneath a door and slowly turned the handle, the aroma of scented candles instantly caught his senses and he entered the steam filled room fully.

When he glanced around his mothers favorite wash room he saw Gail asleep in the bathtub, with a glass of wine securely on a wooden stool beside the bath. Her hair was draped down over her shoulders and had become curly as it usually did when moisture touched it. Candles were placed all around the room to give it a warm glow and he smiled at how beautiful and relaxed she seemed. She would not normally allow herself to fall asleep in a position like this; therefore, he assumed she was suffering from bad dreams, which had impacted her ability to have a proper rest.

Gail had not awoken when he entered the room, so he quietly approached the bathtub and rolled up his sleeve. He smiled at the bubbles that were strategically covering the parts of her body he craved the most and stroked her knee gently, which was resting on the side of the bathtub. Gail stirred slightly at his touch; however, she did not wake up, so he moved his hand into the water and stoked her thigh then continued down to her sweet spot.

Lucas took a deep intake of breath when he heard her soft moan and felt his manhood harden in his pants, he wanted to release himself from the uncomfortable boundaries of his pants; however, he did not dare stop what he was doing and gently pushed two fingers inside of her, then smiled when her eyes finally shot open.

Gail woke up to the intrusive feeling of something inside of her, at first she was shocked at the unexpected feeling then relaxed when she saw Lucas. She could not believe she had drifted off in a bathtub; however, her annoyance at herself was replaced with pleasure, due to her lovers current activity. She lay her head back and let out a loud moan as he began to play inside of her, then reached up to stroke his cheek and pull his face close to hers.

Lucas stared deep into her eyes and placed a soft kiss on her lips, Gail pulled him further to her and began kissing him passionately. He savored the taste of her tongue in his mouth and began to speed up the movement with his fingers, he sensed she was pent up and close to her release; therefore, he pushed another finger inside her sweet spot and felt her tense around his fingers when her climax came.

Gail's cry was stifled by Lucas' lips on hers as their passionate kiss continued, she finally pulled away to enable some air to get into her lungs and watched as Lucas reached for a towel. She obediently stood up in the bathtub to allow him to wrap the towel around her naked body and pick her up in his arms.

'We wouldn't want you to catch a cold walking bare food on a cold ceramic floor' he said then walked towards the door, blowing the candles out as he past.

Gail wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to carry her, the corridors of this extravagant mansion were always cold and the chill caused her body to shiver.

'Well you will insist on going to restricted places deep within my home, rather than staying in the heated main rooms' Lucas sighed, reading her mind. He was not mad at her for delving deeper into his property, as he was starting to accept her curious nature; however, he wanted to get her to his warm study as quickly as possible so he could have his fun.

Gail did not bother replying to the comment, she was enjoying the warmth of his body too much and just rested her head on his chest. When they finally entered the warm study, he carefully placed her down in front of the lit fire and got two wine glasses. Gail watched as he poured them both a glass from the bottle she had opened earlier. She took the glass from his hand when he offered it to her and took a large sip. 'So, no lecture for disregarding your previous wishes?' she asked curiously.

Lucas laughed then looked her up and down. 'I have more pressing things I wanna do than lecture you about going where you don't belong...' he said taking a large sip of wine then placing the glass on his coffee table, '...Besides, I can't expect to judge your curious nature when you accept my questionable one'

Gail smiled, she knew how much her curiosity bothered him and it would be interesting to see how long he could withstand scolding here for it. 'Well that's very big of you Sheriff...now what are these more pressing things you were referring to?'

Lucas approached her, took the glass from her hand and placed it on the mantle on top of the fireplace. He watched with pleasure as she removed the towel, then picked her up and slammed her against the wall. When she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist in acceptance, he unzipped his pants and released his hard manhood then just waited.

Gail had a sudden sense of being watched, then smiled knowingly. 'What are you waiting for Sheriff?' she asked and tangled her hands in his hair, then pulled hard.

Lucas also experienced a strange sense of being watched and wanted to see how Gail would react, when she pulled at his hair roughly he disregarded the intrusive feeling and thrust deep inside her. His body pinned her naked body to the wall and he raised her arms up above her head so he could secure her wrists with his hand, he then moved his free hand over her body and squeezed her breast hard.

Gail felt something dark come over her, she knew they were not alone and knew exactly who was watching them; however, she did not care. She needed him inside of her and that was all that mattered at this moment in time, she let out a soft moan as his movements became more intense and smiled when he moaned loudly. With her hands secured tight above her head her movements were restricted, so she just tried willing him to use more force as this is what she craved. She was not in the mood for playing the good girl tonight and wanted so much more.

Lucas sensed something change within her and smiled, her different moods kept their intimate experiences interesting as he never knew which Gail he would get. He sensed she craved his darker side and he would not disappoint; therefore, he thrust his hips higher to push his manhood deeper inside her then released her wrists, grabbed her hips and started pounding in and out of her.

Selena stood at the open door of the study frozen in place, she had entered the room just before this act had fully started and expected some recognition; however, they both just continued with the act. She felt something stir beneath her legs at the erotic display before her, she was clearly aroused but did not dare do anything about.

The best course of action here would be to leave; however, Selena was glued to the spot. She should not want to get involved with these two but something deep within her was drawn to the darkness that surrounded them and she was not ready to let go of that just yet, so she remained frozen and watched as her ex-boyfriend pounded in and out of the lovely Miss Emory.

Gail sensed their climax rising together and gripped him tight, she clawed at his back and scratched it through his shirt. His thrusts were becoming unbearable, the mixture of pain and pleasure surged through her whole body making it hard to catch her breath. She called out his name as she came, then he bit down on her shoulder and exploded within her when his release came seconds after hers.

Lucas pulled her face to his and kissed her passionately, he could feel his darkness clawing the be released fully to meet with hers; therefore, he pulled out of her and placed her on the floor, then turned her around and pulled off his shirt. He wanted to take her how only he had and stroked his fingers down her back, then began to part her butt cheeks.

Gail heard the deep intake of breath by the door, which matched her own aroused breaths and suddenly came to her senses. 'No' she said sternly, leaning back into him and pulling his face to hers for a gentle kiss. She knew he would not be happy with the interruption; however, she would not allow Selena to witness their more x-rated behavior.

Lucas looked at Gail like he was a child who had just had his favorite toy taken away, then sensed their intruder by the door and reached for the shirt he had recently discarded to cover her up. 'One day very soon I'm gonna remove that word from your vocabulary' he said shaking his head.

Gail let out a small laugh then fastened the shirt loosely around her breasts and picked up the towel on the floor, she watched as he removed his uncomfortable pants and wrapped the towel around his waist to cover up his manhood. 'One day I might just agree to that' she said playfully, then turned her attention towards Selena.

Selena stood by the door intrigued, before Gail had covered up she had spotted several bite marks on her back and Lucas did not appear to be hiding the scratch marks which were visible all down his back. She was becoming more curious about the lovely Miss Emory and was starting to wonder what exactly she does to keep up with her demanding ex lover.

'Oh a lot more than you did Teacher' Lucas said reading her mind and glanced towards Gail. He was not happy with the interruption; however, he was curious as to why Gail had not reacted in a harsh manner.

'It's appears that we're all curious, doesn't it?' Gail sighed then picked up their wine glasses and walked towards the open bottle. 'To what do we owe this interruption Miss Coombs?'

Selena glanced at Lucas then back towards Gail, there was something about her in this environment which reminded her of Lucas and that was concerning. 'Well it wasn't my intention to interrupt...' Selena started.

'Then you should've jumped in' Gail interjected mischievously and smiled when she sensed Selena's discomfort.

Lucas watched the interaction between both woman with intrigue, the off hand comment from Gail was surprising considering how she reacted when Selena tried to gain his affections a few months ago. He had put her previous overreaction down to jealousy; however, maybe it was just due to a lack of control.

'When I need an analysis I'll go to a Psychiatrist sweetheart...' she said sarcastically and handed him a glass of wine. She could sense the darkness rising within her and was starting to like the way it was making her feel, '...Go on Miss Coombs'

Selena suddenly felt like a small animal being stalked by a predator. It had been a long time since she had been in Lucas' domain, the place had always given her an air of confidence; however, being alone with these two made her feel uneasy and she suddenly wanted to be anywhere but here. 'I stopped by your place and you weren't there, I saw your car in the driveway here and thought I'd pop in while passing...We need to talk about Caleb'

Lucas shook his head and let out an irritated laugh. 'You entered my domain without my permission and interrupted us just to talk about my boys schoolwork?...' he asked in disbelief, '...This better be good Selena'

Gail regarded Selena curiously, if it was just schoolwork she would not have been so bold as to come here. 'Is it that bad?' she asked disregarding Lucas' comment and taking a sip of her drink.

Selena saw Gail's features soften slightly at the mention of her cousin and focused on her, rather than the anger she could sense radiating from Lucas. 'Well it isn't good...we should talk in private'

'The hell you will...' Lucas interrupted, '...he's my boy and I will be privy to whatever you have to say'

Gail sighed and shook her head, she was not in the mood for another attempt from Lucas to insert his parental dominance. 'Calm down love, we're not finished yet and I don't particularly want to be thinking about my cousin right now' she said teasingly and tugged gently at the towel around his waist.

Lucas glanced at Gail and saw the mischief in her eyes, he could not be annoyed at her when she was acting this way. 'Careful now Darlin', one hard tug of this towel and we'll be givin' Miss Coombs here the type of show you don't approve of'

'Oh please, she's seen it all before' Gail said shaking her head and turned back towards Selena. 'As you can see, I've got my hands full here...If there's something really important to discuss about my cousin, I'll come find you tomorrow. Now, I'm sure you have a handsome Doctor to get home to'

Selena opened her mouth to protest being brushed off in such a way, then saw the warning look on Lucas' face and decided better of it. 'Fine, I suppose I've bothered you people enough for one night...' she said cattily and turned to walk out of the study, '...Have fun'

Gail rolled her eyes as she watched Selena leave, then leaned back into Lucas when he placed his hands on her hips affectionately. 'That was strange' she said, leaning her head to the right so he could kiss her neck.

Lucas nipped at her skin playfully and smiled. 'You think that was strange? We ain't even started yet Darlin'' he laughed and pulled her back towards the fireplace.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

Gail glanced around the dark forest which surrounded her, she was wearing a small grey vest with a pair of navy blue long pajama's and the cold night air was causing goose pimples to form all over her bare arms. She wrapped her arms around her chest in an attempt to hold in some warmth; however, she felt herself shivering uncontrollably and just wanted to go home to her family.

As her bare feet tread carefully over the fallen twigs, she began to think about her life and how she had felt lost as a child. She had stumbled across the Kris Kristofferson song 'Little Girl Lost' when she was younger and the deep lyrics always stayed with her. At times she felt like she was walking through this world alone, not looking for a lover just looking for a home. The words of that song had shaped how she saw herself and helped her go through life with her detached way of being.

Growing up in Charleston alone had helped strengthen her character; however, it did nothing to ease her underlying feelings of being trapped in a place that she did not belong.

For years she thought the hidden feelings were down to losing her parents at such a young age and she just worked through it, strengthening her position within the Charleston Post and excelling as a professional; however, being in this mysterious place wherever it may be felt familiar and she had a sense of belonging. It seemed crazy but she had a sense of deja vu, as if she had experienced all this before and was bound to come her over and over again.

Gail shivered again and felt the twigs becoming harder under her bare feet, they were beginning to dig into the soles of her feet which added to her discomfort; however, she continued to move forward, ignoring the strange whispers that were all around her. The full moon was high in the sky and she allowed herself a quick admiring glance at it before turning her full attention back to her destination. She did not know where she was going but sensed she was getting close.

A loud snap came from her right and Gail was reminded she was on her own out here. She stopped for a moment, hearing the faint sound of twigs breaking not far from her position then picked up the pace and headed towards a clearing in the distance. As the sounds around her started to seem closer, her pace quickened until she was running for the clearing. When she reached it and turned back around to peer into the forest, she spotted a shadow behind a tree watching her.

Gail inhaled deeply and took a step forward wanting to find out who was following her; however, something deep within her made her halt and turned her around. She peered out curiously into the field before her filled with gravestones and walked out into the open, she sensed she had been here before but she could not remember when or where this location was.

Gail experienced a strong sense of being watched again and this would usually make her feel uneasy; however, she somehow knew she was protected here and sensed that this was her domain. This feeling was invigorating and for once in her life she felt she was somewhere that she truly belonged. Suddenly the cold did not bother her and she dropped her arms to her sides, letting the cool air dance all around her body.

As the wind picked up, she walked deeper into the field curious as to what she would uncover.

* * *

Caleb walked casually down the street towards school, humming Kris Kristoffersons 'To Beat The Devil' to himself. He found himself thinking about his cousin and that was the last song he had heard her play yesterday. She had not come home last night; therefore, he was not concerned about being late for school, but found himself thinking about her behavior of late.

Caleb was not a stupid boy, he saw more than people realized. For instance he knew if Gail was not home she was likely with Lucas and if Lucas was in a bad mood recently, it was likely something to do with Gail. He noticed his cousin was trying to do more simple things with him, like watch television with him and show interest in what he liked; however, he sensed something was not right with her.

His cousin loved music, not many people knew that about her as she liked to keep personal things to herself. She had been listening to more of Kris Kristofferson over the past few weeks, that would not concern anybody who thought they knew her; however, Caleb saw everything and had come to know his cousins tells. If she was happy she would listen to Johnny Cash or Elvis Presley, their music made her smile and dance which amused him. If she was annoyed or irritated she would listen to The Rolling Stones or ACDC, Caleb knew nothing about Rock music but had come to know his cousins favorite bands.

When she was contemplating something or was trying to make a big decision, she broke out her Kris Kristofferson records. Gail once told him that she connected with the pain in a lot his songs and they helped clear her mind. After several nights of listening to music with his cousin when it was just the two of them, he decided he preferred Cash over Kristofferson but made an effort to listen to what his cousin liked to strengthen their bond.

Caleb was not a clingy child and did not require a lot of outward affection; however, he sensed his cousin pulling away recently and found himself wanting to be with her more often. As she did not appear to care much about what he was getting up to these days, he had chosen to experiment with people the way his father did to see what would happen.

Caleb cut down a narrow path and came out at the school, he smiled when he saw Josh waiting for him and confidently strolled over to his friend as if he did not have a care in the world.

'Did you get it?' Josh asked nervously.

'Well mornin' to you too' Caleb said sarcastically and walked casually towards the entrance.

Josh sighed and grabbed his friends arm. 'Come on Caleb stop messin' around, we're late...Did you get it?'

Caleb smiled mischievously and reached into his backpack, when he pulled his hand out he was holding a Playboy swimsuit calendar and handed it to Josh. 'I told you I could get it'

Josh took the calendar and quickly hid it in his backpack, when Caleb had said he could get things he never believed he could get his hands on something like this. 'Ah man, you're crazy! What do I owe you?' Josh asked excitedly.

Caleb laughed and patted his friend on the shoulder. 'You don't owe me nothin'...maybe I'll ask you for a favor somewhere down the line'

'That's fine, whatever you want Caleb...I owe you'

Caleb smiled to himself, this deal business was not as hard as he thought it would be.

* * *

Lucas leaned back in his office chair and stared at the ceiling for a moment, he had not expected Gail to stay the night last night and although she had left before he had woken up he was still in a good mood. Harvard was still locked up in his cell without any interference from his love; therefore, he chose to take his time finishing up the arrest report.

A knock came at the door which brought Lucas out of his thoughts and he sat upright behind his desk. 'Come in...' he called professionally, then lay back again when Abraham entered the office. '...Since when do you crawl out from that Antique Store of yours to visit me here?'

Abe shook his head and entered the office fully. 'Careful boy, you're not too old to be put over my knee' he said sarcastically.

Lucas laughed then got up out of his chair and approached his friend. 'As interestin' as that sounds, I think I'll pass...What brings you to my neck of the woods old man?'

Abe sighed, he had always disliked being in the Sheriff's Station and he hated interfering with things; however, the young girl that now ran his Store insisted that he got involved in this instance and doing as she wished was the quickest way to shutting her up. 'Apparently you have a young Doctor locked up in your cells that you shouldn't...who've you been pesterin' now and why is this affectin' me?'

Lucas narrowed his eyes at his old friend, if Gail knew about Matt being locked up she would have been straight here which meant someone else put him up to this. 'Since when do you get involved in my business? I thought nothin' bothered you unless it directly involved your own?'

'When I'm gettin' my ear chewed off when I should be restin', it does involve my own' Abe said irritated, then walked over to Lucas' desk and sat down. All this activity was tiring him and he should be taking it easy.

Lucas sighed and shook his head, so this was Merlyn. He thought her attention would be elsewhere by now; however, it appeared she had not given in to temptation just yet. 'You need to show that girl who's boss friend' he said sitting down in front of Abe. They had known each other for years and he respected the man more than anyone else in his town, so he would not be offended by his visit.

'That girl is as hot headed as my Rosie...' Abe sighed, '...speaking of which, have you seen her today?'

'Gail? I saw her last night' he said with a wicked grin.

Abe gave him a warning look and shook his head. 'I ain't talkin' about last night you pervert and you can keep those activities to yourself. I'm talkin' about today...the poor young girl had to make her own way to the Store earlier, she was exhausted'

Lucas considered this for a moment, he had thought Gail had left early to drop the children off where they needed to be. 'Gail didn't take her in?' he asked curiously.

Abe shook his head and began to get concerned. 'Should she have?'

Lucas sensed the concern in his friend and stood up. 'Nah, she stayed late at my place this mornin' and is probably still fast asleep in my bed...' he lied, '...There's nothin' for you to be concernin' yourself with old man, but I'll go and check on her all the same'

Abe nodded, he could usually read Lucas as he had known him since he was a young boy and he did not appear to be concerned. 'Alright, as long as you're sure she's OK then that's fine'

Lucas patted him on the shoulder reassuringly and led him out of his office. 'Without givin' away any details, she needs the rest after what we got up to last night but other than that she's fine'

Abe regarded him in disgust, he hated the thought of his Rosie being defiled; however, she had made her choice to be with Lucas and she could have chosen worse people to give herself over to. Lucas was loyal when he wanted to be and the boy knew better than to treat someone like his Rosie in a bad way. 'Keep the details to yourself boy and send her my way when you find her' he ordered and left the building.

Lucas watched Abe leave then turned towards Ben, 'Go bring the car around front...there's something we need to do'

Ben nodded obediently and went to get the car.

* * *

Merlyn sat behind the counter of the Antique Store tapping her fingers impatiently, Abe had been gone for far too long and she was concerned about Matt being locked up. When Gail had called the previous night and advised she would be staying over at Lucas' Merlyn was far from impressed; however, when she got up this morning to an answer machine message for Gail from Matt, she became infuriated and knew Lucas was up to something.

She had made her own way to the Store and managed to start her shift on time, but all she could think about was Matt. She had been unable to reach Gail; therefore, the only other choice she had was to get Abe involved, as he only other closest adult to her.

The sound of the bell above the door ringing took Merlyn out of her thoughts and she stared at the attractive boy who had entered. She felt her cheeks become hot and began to blush, she did not understand why she was unable to control her reaction when it was just a boy. When the boy glanced at her and winked, Merlyn giggled to herself and smoothed down her long brown hair in an attempt to make herself look presentable. 'Is there somethin' in particular you're lookin' for?' she asked nervously.

The boy walked around the Store examining the unusual ornaments which were on display on the shelves. He picked one up and turned it over in his hand curiously, then turned towards Merlyn. 'Do people really buy these strange things? I mean where would you even put somethin' like this?' he asked.

Merlyn laughed and felt herself blush under his gaze. 'You'd be surprised what people like, my cousin has plenty of stuff like this around her house...she says it gives a place character'

The boy shook his head and carefully placed the ornament back down. 'I'd rather be out in the world buildin' my character...' he said and approached the counter. '...Aren't you bored all alone in this dull Store?'

Merlyn felt a tingling in her stomach and inhaled deeply, his scent was divine and she felt her temperature increasing the closer he came to her.

'That girl has a job to do Earl, now what are you doin' in my Store?' Abe interjected angrily.

Merlyn watched Earl stand up straight when he saw Abe and smiled. Although she was not happy with the interruption, she felt more comfortable not being alone with this boy. 'He was just lookin' for something for his momma' she lied, trying to protect this boy she did not know.

'Well that'd be hard seen as his momma left town a decade ago' Abe said and shook his head.

Earl put on his best innocent smile and turned towards the old man. 'That doesn't stop me from pickin' somethin' up for when she returns, this girl was just helpin' me find somethin' I guess'

Abe glanced at them both suspiciously. Youth of today thought they were so smart, he had been sneaking around with his sweetheart long before either of these too were a thought in their parents heads and could spot mischief a mile away. 'Did you find anythin' you like?'

Earl smiled at Merlyn and nodded, 'I think I have'

Merlyn stared down at her hands and bit her lip in an attempt to hide her smile, she did not know who this boy was; however, he made her feel good. 'You'll have no customers if you keep givin' them the third degree Uncle' she said, choosing to use the affectionate name for him like Gail did in an attempt to get him on her side.

Abe sighed and shook his head again, he was not one to get in the way of young love; however, he knew the type of boy Earl was and his Rosie would have his hide if he let this young girl get involved with him under his watch. 'Be gone boy, we're busy' he said and sat down behind the counter.

Merlyn watch Earl leave and her smile grew wider when he shot her a playful wink before closing the door. Suddenly she did not want to be stuck indoors and wanted to follow the intriguing boy she had just met, she knew she should not be so quick to drop everything and rush after someone she did not know; however, he seemed fun and she was suddenly aware of how boring her life was.

'And you judge me for spending time with a questionable character' Gail said sarcastically from the corner of the Store.

'Rosie!' Abe exclaimed and got up to meet his girl.

Merlyn looked at Gail shocked, she had not heard the bell to the Store ring more than once and had been totally unaware of her cousins presence. 'How long have you been here?' she asked, noticing something different about her cousins manner.

'Long enough...How are you Uncle?' Gail asked forcing a warm smile, she had not come here for pleasantries but Abe looked extremely pale and she supposed she should show a little concerned.

Abe smiled and put his arm around her, seeing her always brightened up his day. 'I've lasted this long Rosie, I ain't about to pack it in just yet'

'Well I should hope not...' Gail laughed and gave him a hug, '...So listen, I haven't got much time. Have you got a book on Trinity's religious monuments or something similar? You know like Churches or the most popular form of worship throughout the years?'

Abe regarded her suspiciously and took a step back. 'I dunno, maybe...why do you ask?'

Gail rolled her eyes and sighed. 'Relax Uncle, my editor wants me to write an article on how religion has changed in the town throughout the years and I just need a little background...Why are you so curious about my motives? Is there something I should be looking for in the religious community?'

Abe quickly turned away from her to hide his expression and walked towards his back room. 'Don't be silly, I'm just a nosy old man...I'll go see what I can find, give me a minute'

Gail nodded then turned her attention towards Merlyn, the girl was watching her like a hawk and could not hide her curiosity. 'What?' she asked.

Melryn shrugged and continued to regard her suspiciously. 'You didn't come home last night or this mornin' and now you show up here outta nowhere asking about religion in Trinity...What's goin' on Gail?'

Gail sighed and approached her cousin. 'Technically a rented property isn't really a home...I got caught up with something and stayed out, I'm an adult and am not required to explain myself to a young girl'

'Weren't you worried about me and Caleb? I mean anythin' could've happened while you were gone'

Gail laughed, 'In this town? Oh please...Lucas Buck would not let anything happen to that boy and I wouldn't let anything happen to you'

Merlyn was taken aback by the comment and could not hide her smile. It was nice to know her cousin felt protective of her, after the hell she went through living with her broken father she was not used to such a thing and it was good to know someone had her back with Lucas around.

'He wouldn't dare touch you...' Gail said reading her mind and started walking around the Store, '...One day you'll have to enlighten me on why you two dislike each other so much, but that's a story for another day'

Merlyn inhaled deeply and tried to hide her thoughts, she got the feeling if Gail found out what Lucas did to her there would be hell to pay and that would not work out well for her cousin. 'So what are you up to?' she asked changing the subject.

'Nothing really, just some research like I said...You know a lot about religion here don't you?' Gail asked casually.

Merlyn shrugged and glanced down the corridor when she heard Abe coming back to join them. 'I know a fair bit, why?'

Gail looked towards Abe when he entered the room with a large book and smiled. 'You're my hero' she said with a smile and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Abe blushed and waved her away. 'Behave Rosie...will you be staying a little while?' he asked expectantly.

Gail took the book and shook her head. 'Unfortunately not today Uncle, but I'll make time to come by tomorrow...Can I borrow your assistant for the rest of the day?'

Abe looked suspiciously at Merlyn who just shrugged. 'I suppose so, there's not much to do here today...why do you need her?'

Gail was getting sick of being questioned but forced a smile. 'Oh you know, girl things...We'll see you tomorrow Uncle' she said and signaled for Merlyn to follow her out of the store.

* * *

Matt paced the small cell in the Sheriffs Station agitated, he had expected a visit from Gail by now and was beginning to get worried about why she had not come for him. He knew deep down Lucas would not hurt him or his career at the hospital at this moment in time, as the man would run the risk of loosing Gail for good and that was why he was willing to just wait this out; however, his friends lack of presence was starting to cause him concern.

'You and me both Doc...' Lucas said casually leaning against the bars of the cell, '...At first I thought the young girl in that family was more concerned about your welfare than your best friend and expected a good telling off by now, but now I'm wondering if Gail even knows you're here...It's curious really'

'So why not just let me out and you'll remain in her good books? I've got no desire to talk about you at the best of times, so I'm not going to bring the matter up in conversation' Matt said turning his attention towards the sociopath before him.

'If you knew the pleasure that inevitably comes when our fights end Harvard, you'd understand why that ain't happenin'...' Lucas said with a devilish grin, '...You know I actually thought you had a chance with her when she first arrived here, but you couldn't handle her dark side...No, that's something she reserves just for me'

Matt could feel his anger begin to rise and clenched his fists. He swore to himself that he would not allow Lucas get under his skin again, especially when he should be focused on other things at this time of year.

'If you were focused on other things previously you probably wouldn't be in mourning now Doc' Lucas said reading his mind and watched as the calm exterior of the good Doctor instantly turned hostile.

Matt could not stand anymore of Lucas' games and rushed up to the door of the cell and banged the bars hard with his hands. 'What do you want from me Lucas?...' he yelled, '...Is it not enough that you won with Gail and Caleb?'

Lucas laughed and moved his face closer to Matt's. 'I'll never be done with you Harvard, as long as you're in my town you're my pet'

Matt narrowed his eyes and stared at the man with hatred, he could see that Lucas was not going to let him out of his own accord and he may not be able to hurt him outright; however, he could continue to torture him mentally and there was nothing Gail could do about that.

'There you go Doc, you're finally beginnin' to understand. No matter how much you think you're protected by my other half, I can always get to you...She's mine and so is everyone in my town'

Matt hated hearing him refer to Gail as his property and shook his head in disgust. He pushed away from the cell bars and sat down on the hard bed in the corner by the wall. 'Well your possession appears to be busying herself with something more important than either of us at the moment Sheriff...I wonder how strong your link actually is?' he said calmly, knowing the words would irritate Lucas.

Lucas regarded Matt suspiciously and opened his minds eye in an attempt to locate Gail; however, as usual she appeared to be shielded from him. When Matt began to laugh Lucas left the cells and decided it may be beneficial to locate his love.

* * *

Merlyn reluctantly walked through the wooded area behind Lucas' property, clinging on to her cousins arm. She did not like this place as it had a dark presence and she did not know what they were doing here. 'Are we there yet?' she asked impatiently and gripped Gail's arm tighten when she felt a breath blow over her ear.

'Will you stop asking me that?...' Gail sighed, '...You always say you want to help me, well man up and help'

Merlyn kept looking behind her, she could have sworn she heard footsteps and felt as though they were being watched. 'I'm more than happy to help you Gail, but I'd rather stay in the land of the living' she said sarcastically.

Gail stopped in her tracks and turned towards her cousin, she started to wonder whether she knew something that she shouldn't then shook off the feeling when she saw the worried look on Merlyn's face. 'Look, will you trust me? I promise I won't let anything happen to you...I just need someone of your experience to glance over a few things'

Merlyn could sense her cousin was trying to reassure her and there was something within her that trusted she would protect her; however, she did not like where this was leading and the only experience she had with anything was being dead. 'I just don't understand what I can help you with and I don't think Lucas would appreciate me being this far into his property'

Gail rolled her eyes at the mention of Lucas and took hold of Merlyn's hand. They were close to her desired destination and she smiled when she saw the familiar clearing. 'I need you to help me open my mind' she whispered as they approached the clearing and felt her skin begin to tingle with excitement as they drew near.

Merlyn witnessed a sudden change in her cousin and she did not like the unusual look in her eyes. When they reached the clearing and Gail pushed her in front, her mouth dropped open and she stared at the open field before her in shock.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Caleb walked out of school casually, he had managed to have an eventful day and was happy with himself for the number of deals he had secured. By his count he was up to four bargains and had not even had to get into trouble acquiring the things his friends wanted.

'Soon you'll be givin' me a run for my money' Lucas said from the open window of his car.

Caleb had been so busy thinking about what he had accomplished that he had completed missed the navy blue Crown Victoria and smiled as he approached the open drivers side window. 'I dunno what you're talkin' about' he feigned innocence.

Lucas smiled proudly, this must be what Selena had wanted to talk to Gail about. It appeared his son wanted to follow in his footsteps and Lucas could not be prouder for how quick the boy had learned from him. 'Well this is gonna be a conversation for another day, but liar liar...'

Caleb laughed at the insinuation and rushed around to the passenger side of the car then got in without being invited. 'Are we goin' somewhere?'

'I suppose we are now...' Lucas laughed and turned on the engine, '...I'm tryin' to locate that ol' cousin of yours and thought you could help'

'Merly spends more time with her than I do these days, so she'd know more than me' Caleb said and fastened his seat belt.

'Well it appears that ol' sister of yours has done a disappearing act too, I guess it's our job to locate our girls and get them back home safely...You up for the challenge son?'

Caleb smiled and nodded, it did not take much convincing for him to want to spend more time with his father these days. 'Yes sir, lead the way'

Lucas laughed and shook his head, Gail would not be impressed with the boys activities of late and how close they were getting; however, this is what happens when her focus is elsewhere.

* * *

Merlyn walked up and down the rows of graves shaking her head, she had not had any idea that this graveyard was here and she could now understand her cousins curiosity. 'Why aren't there any names on the headstones?' she asked curiously and bent down to examine one to her right.

Gail stared in awe at the amount of graves in front of her. After the initial horror at finding this place and debating whether she could actually accept the possibility that her lover could be a serial killer with the bodies of his victims hidden on his property, she had come to her senses and figured out what this was.

She knew Lucas was too smart to have anything which could link him to a crime out in the open and although this place was well hidden, someone could stumble across it at any time. No, this was personal and as Lucas had previously pointed out that he did not come out this far in his property, she suspected this place had been handed down through the generations which meant she may have found the Buck family tree.

Merlyn regarded her cousin carefully, she had not answered her question and she could see she was lost in her own thoughts. Before Gail had allowed her to set foot in this eerie place she had given her a talisman to hold, this indicated that her cousin was starting to accept the strangeness which surrounded their family and this town. Merlyn sensed a darkness here which made her skin crawl and she was gripping the talisman tight, she knew better than to believe they were alone here and just because she could not see anybody that did not mean they were not there. 'Gail?' she called nervously.

Gail shot an irritated glance at Merlyn for the interruption, then her features softened and she acted as if no time had past at all. 'I'm guessing anonymity has always been key in the Buck ancestry...You can learn a lot from a persons history, I suppose whoever started this place had a need to keep secrets'

Merlyn suddenly felt sick to her stomach at the realization of where she was. 'So this is all of his family?' she asked in disbelief.

Gail glanced towards the blonde woman standing by one of the graves who was nodding slowly, she had seen this woman before in her dreams and somehow knew Merlyn could not see her. 'It appears so' she said watching the woman suspiciously.

'Gail, we shouldn't be here...we need to go' Merlyn said grabbing her cousins arm and attempted to lead her away; however, when Gail shot her a warning look she let go instantly.

Gail turned her attention back towards the blonde woman and began walking around the gravestones, there was something dark in this place; however, it did not scare or worry her, it made her feel at ease. She felt a sudden change within herself and Rosemary pulled herself to the surface. 'She's off limits' she said sternly to the woman at the opposite end of the row, referring to Merlyn, and disregarded the woman's devilish smile.

Merlyn took a step back and glanced in the direction Gail was looking, she did not see anything but she felt a presence around them. 'Gail...'

'Shush' Gail ordered, regaining control of herself. She had been trying to control whatever was inside of her for months now and had decided she would not turn away any longer. She initially had no recollection of visiting this place, it was as though her mind was trying to shield her from something; however, this place felt familiar and she would not be scared away. She focused on the woman who was closer now, then took a deep breath and walked forward standing her ground. She would not let herself show fear and the real reason she wanted Merlyn with her was to get help if it was required.

The blonde woman stopped when Gail approached, then stared at one of the graves with disdain. She remained still for a few moments, then disappeared.

Merlyn watched as Gail stopped at a gravestone, then bend down to examine it. She wanted to go to her cousin but she did not dare move, suddenly she heard the sound of a twig breaking behind her and spun around to look in the direction of the sound. Her unease started to become more intense and she wanted to get out of this evil place.

When she turned back towards Gail there was a blonde woman directly in front of her blocking her view and smiling malevolently. Merlyn fell back screaming and held out her hands in front of her face to shield her from whatever this was. A bright white light came out of her hands and pierced through the woman, causing her to make an unearthly screech.

'No!' Gail called and watched in horror as the blonde woman disappeared. She felt a surge of pain rush through her when the white light connected with the apparition and fell to the ground. She did not know what had just happened or what she had witnessed; however, she felt rage rising within her and it was directed at her cousin.

Merlyn looked at her hands in confusion, then watched Gail stand up and dust the dirt off her long skirt. She could see the anger on her cousins face and stood up. 'Gail I...'

Gail held her hand up to silence Merlyn and bent down to examine the gravestone again, she had spotted a small mark on the side of the stone when she had been on the ground and brushed her fingers over it. Suddenly her mind was taken over by images of the man she had seen in the picture she had acquired from Abe, a jolt of pain surged through her brain which caused her to let go of the gravestone and she stood up.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head, this was the mysterious mans grave and she had no doubt about it. She looked around at all the other graves with intrigue, she had examined them all before and each headstone was blank. It appeared there were other ways to find out who was buried beneath them; however, that was for consideration at another time, she had been led to the grave before her and she would keep her focus on that.

Merlyn heard low growls come from behind her, then turned around to see Gail's wild dog Gideon. She had been monitoring her cousin discreetly in her ghostly state when this dog first appeared and she did not trust it at all. The dog seemed to sense her thoughts as it bared it's teeth and approached her in an attack position. 'Um Gail?'

Gail let out a long exasperated sigh and turned towards Merlyn, just in time to see Gideon ready to pounce. 'Hey!' she called and rushed towards her cousin, then gave the dog a disapproving look. Gideon whined quietly and nipped at Gail's ankle, then ran back towards the clearing. When Gail just stared at it in confusion, the dog began to bark. 'I think that's our cue to leave' she said grabbing Merlyn's hand and following Gideon.

'Are you mad at me?' Merlyn asked, she had not meant to interfere.

Gail laughed and quickly pulled her through the woods. 'I'm curious about you'

'You and me both...' Merlyn said and allowed herself to be led by her cousin, '...Now that you're done here, are you gonna go help Matt?'

Gail stopped as they came out of the trees and were once again in Lucas' garden. 'What do you mean help Matt?'

'I knew you wouldn't have left him there if you had known...'

'Left him where?...' Gail interrupted abruptly, '...and known what?'

Merlyn turned towards her cousin nervously. 'Gail, he's been locked up since yesterday. I didn't know where you were so I couldn't tell you, but I sent Abe to try and convince Lucas to let him out'

Gail could not believe she had been so distracted with her own selfish matters that she was totally unaware of her friends predicament. She was disappointed in herself and needed to start getting a grip on what has happening around her.

Gail sighed and shook her head. 'Unfortunately Abe doesn't have what Lucas wants, I suppose that falls to me'

Merlyn rolled her eyes and laughed. 'Don't you ever think that he does what he does to Matt just to get a rise out of you?'

Gail let out a small laugh and linked her arm around her cousins, then started to walk out of the garden. 'I try not to think about why Lucas Buck does any of what he does...I get to keep my sanity longer that way'

Merlyn laughed and shook her head, she still did not understand why Gail was with the man when she clearly knew what he was capable of; however, she had her own craziness to be concerned about and would trust her cousins judgement. 'So where are we goin' now?'

'Well I'm not letting you out of my sight while that boy is hovering around, so you'll just have to accompany me to the Sheriff's Station.

Merlyn did not want to go anywhere near where Lucas Buck could be, especially with what had just happened on his property and what she had witnessed.

'Oh don't you worry little girl...' Gail said reading her mind, '...that ol' dogs senses ain't as good as they used to be'

Merlyn laughed at Gail's attempt at a country accent and followed her off the property.

* * *

Lucas had driven to all the places he thought Gail could be and then to all the places Caleb believed his sister would go; however, they were unable to locate the pair. His senses were stronger with his boy by his side and he caught a glimpse of Gail in a wooded area in his minds eye, but there were no distinguishing markers to indicate where she was and he was starting to become frustrated.

After stopping off to grab a chili dog for his boy, he decided to head back to his office to regroup. Torturing Harvard some more would no doubt cheer him up after this failed attempt to locate the two thorns in his paw. Caleb had chosen to stay with him, stating he should be around when the girls were found. Lucas was beginning to think the boy had really started enjoying their time together and this may be the time to re-evaluate his living arrangements.

Lucas pulled up in front of the Sheriff's Station and got out of the car, when they entered the building he saw Floyd hiding behind the counter with Merlyn staring at him disapprovingly and he got a bad feeling. 'Well here's one of our missing girls...' he said sarcastically and watched Caleb rush up to his sister to give her a hug, '...Now all I need to do is find the other'

'Where's Gail Merly?' Caleb asked concerned.

Merlyn laughed and shook her head, 'Why don't you ask the good Deputy here?'

Lucas leaned over the counter and gave Floyd a questionable look. 'You wanna get up and enlighten me on what's goin' on here?' he ordered.

Floyd stood up and stared at his hands nervously, he knew the reporter was a friend of Lucas' and he had instantly regretted his decision after he had done made it. 'I didn't have a choice Lucas...she pushed me to it!'

'Who pushed you into what Floyd?' Lucas asked angrily.

'Well it appears your Deputy here thought it was appropriate to lock up my cousin in one of your cells...I'm sure being the type of person she is, she'll be very understanding after you locked up her friend' Merlyn said sarcastically and winked at Caleb.

Lucas let out a large sigh and headed straight to the cells, ignoring Floyd's apologies. He was annoyed at himself for not sensing she was here and was furious that she had been allowed to get close to Harvard while he was not around. When he opened the door he saw them both leaning against the cell bars laughing together, their closeness was sickening and Floyd would be punished for interfering with his plans.

Gail heard the door open and ignored it, after she insulted Floyd enough to get him to arrest her she expected they would get company sooner rather than later. She knew who it was and sensed his irritation so she put her arm through the gap in the cell bar and pulled Matt closer to her, in an attempt to make him more angry.

Gail had decided she was not going to beg for Matt's release, she came up with a different plan on the drive down and had been happy with how it had worked out. Matt had filled her in on all that had happened and she cursed herself for not realizing what Lucas had done last night before she lay with him. She would not a mistake she would make again and she would find a way to be more in tune with her senses going forward.

'Am I interrupting somethin'?' Lucas asked agitated and watched in annoyance as Gail continued to be close to her friend.

'So...I could get used to this peace and quiet' Gail said while stroking Matt's arm affectionately.

Matt instantly caught on to what his friend was doing and would happily play along. 'Me too, just the two of us in here with no outside influences...imagine what we could get up to'

Gail smiled mischievously and gave her friend a playful wink. 'Hmmm, imagine us all alone with just each other to keep us warm...The gab in these bars aren't that restrictive, I'm sure we could find certain ways to keep ourselves entertained'

'Enough' Lucas ordered and slammed Gail's cell door open.

Gail gave Matt a reassuring smile, then turned her attention towards Lucas. 'Can we help you Sheriff?' she asked sweetly.

Lucas shook his head and instantly knew he was in for a fight. 'Well Miss Emory, it appears there's been a mistake and you somehow found your way into one of my cells...Why don't you come out here and we can have some fun with my handcuffs?' he said playfully.

Gail laughed and stroked Matt's arm. 'You know, I think I'm quite happy where I am...and I can have just as much fun with my present company'

Lucas entered the cell and grabbed her by the arm, then roughly pulled her up and pushed her against the cell bars. 'You sure about that? You weren't complainin' when we were goin' at it last night Miss Emory'

'That was before I had this cozy set up Sheriff...I mean, what more could I ask for than this discreet little room and my good friend over there?'

'Maybe I should leave you locked up in here with him if you like it so much' Lucas suggested in a venous tone, leaning his face closer to hers.

'Maybe you should' Gail said defiantly, leaning closer so she could feel his breath on her lips.

'Knock it off...' Matt said standing up, '...Get her out of here Sheriff, there's no point in us both wasting our time here'

'You heard the man Darlin', lets go' Lucas said signaling for her to leave the cell.

Gail laughed and shook her head. 'Since when have I ever allowed a man tell me what to do? I'm not going anywhere without him' she said moving back to her previous spot by Matt.

Both men sighed and looked at each other in exasperation. Matt had not wanted Gail to end up in here with him, it was amusing teasing Lucas at first; however, there was no point to this. 'I'll be fine Gail, just go' he reassured her.

'Again, what part of me gives off the impression that I need you to tell me what to do Doctor? You will let him out now Lucas...I won't say it again'

Lucas narrowed his eyes at her and regarded her with irritation. Usually she would have offered to convince him by now; however, there was something different about her today and she was being more assertive than usual. 'Alright Darlin', don't get your panties in a twist' he said sarcastically and opened Matt's cell.

Gail signaled for Matt to leave then proceeded to exit her cell. As she past Lucas he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him. 'Something I can help you with Sheriff?' she asked feigning innocence.

'I know you've been up to somethin' and I will find out what it is' he whispered.

Gail smiled devilishly and moved her lips close to his ear. 'Oh sweetheart, I think you've got a problem with your all seeing eye...Maybe you should get that checked out' she whispered and gently pulled her arm free.

Lucas watched curiously as she walked out the cells with Matt, he was used to her challenging him; however, she was never so bold as to bring up his highly tuned senses and he began to wonder what exactly she had been doing with her time.

* * *

Matt let out a sigh of relief when he entered his office and sat down on his chair. Gail had dropped him off at the hospital at his request after a quiet drive away from the Sheriff's Station and he was glad to be back in familiar surroundings. He was not proud of himself for losing control and playing into Lucas' trap, there was no excuse for what he had done and he imagined Gail would have to deal with the consequences of the actions she took to help him.

Matt sat on behind his desk and ran his hand through his hair, then rummaged in his bottom desk drawer and pulled out a small picture frame. He stared lovingly at the picture of his daughter and felt an emptiness inside which he knew could never be replaced. He longed to see her innocent smile again and smell her sweet scent; however, that would never be possible and it was something he had to live with.

After one last glance at his daughter, he put the picture away and focused his attention on the file he had on Lucas Buck which was still in his top drawer. The man was a menace and needed to be stopped; however, all the file showed was his recent run in with Yancy, when the man almost succeeded in killing him. Matt wished he could have been around for that but unfortunately he was locked up in Juniper, where Lucas had initially intended to let him rot.

Matt closed the file and tapped his fingers on his desk, something Lucas had said to him when the previous day would not leave his mind and he began to wonder about his friend. Lucas had stated he shared the loss of losing a child and indicated that Gail did also. He was sure Gail would have opened up to him about something like that had she suffered the loss before coming to Trinity, as it would be something they both shared; however, she had not mentioned anything before, which indicated there may have been an incident when he was in Juniper.

Matt knew he would regret digging into his friends medical records, it was wrong both on a moral and professional level but he could not get Lucas' comments out of his mind and needed to know why the man was being so smug with him. Matt turned on his computer and logged in to the hospital patient records, he just had to know so he typed in Gail Emory and waited for the file to be located.

* * *

Lucas pulled into his driveway, then got out of the car and slammed the door in frustration. He was still irritated over the earlier exchange with Gail and he had decided he now needed a drink. As he took his keys out of his pocket and located the front door key, he felt a strange sensation which got his attention and began to walk to the side of the house.

The dim lights in the garden guided him through the darkness as he followed the familiar feeling, which he had not experienced in a very long time. He turned the corner of the house and continued on into his back garden, he allowed the fountain a quick glance and smiled as he recalled what he had gotten up to there with Gail then continued on his way to the far end of the garden.

Lucas halted and regarded the gravestone labeled R.B curiously, he had always wondered about it as a child; however, after his parents were gone and he was in control he never gave it a second thought, not until Gail started snooping at this end of his property. Something whispered in his ear and he shook his head in annoyance. 'Enough of your parlor tricks, I've had a long day so let's get on with this' he snapped.

Lucas spotted a figure leaning against a tree at the opening to the wooded area at the end of the garden and sighed, he followed the figure as it moved deeper into the woods and kept his twin on standby in case anything decided to ambush him. He had only visited this area a few times in his life and it had been at least 20 years since the last got called here, he did not trust the place then and he certainly did now so he kept his guard up.

When he heard a mans laughter in the clearing he stopped, had he previously had any desire to visit this part of his property he would have done so sooner and he was not impressed with being called here in such a manner. Lucas shook his head and continued walking towards the clearing then exhaled deeply in exasperation when he finally reached the family plot.

'Alright, I'm here...you better make this quick' Lucas warned.

'You've become sloppy my boy' came his fathers voice from all around him, but no figure appeared.

Lucas laughed, 'Says you...I'm not the one that was fatally blind sided by his son. At least I caught mine before that happened'

The wind picked up around Lucas and he could sense the anger in his father, which made him smile. 'That's all in the past and you should be thankful I allowed you to rest here. If I had my way you wouldn't have it so cushy and would still be suffering now...although it's not too late for that'

'Get your affairs in order boy! Before we do that for you' His fathers irritated voice echoed, then the presence was gone.

Lucas considered the words for a moment, then shook his head in annoyance. 'I don't take well to threats' he warned turning around to leave, then spotted a small object on the ground not far from his position. He walked to the object, bent down and picked it up. He knew exactly what it was upon examination and he cursed out loud.

Lucas stood up and carefully put the talisman in his back pocket, it appeared Gail was more resourceful than he had given her credit for. He inhaled deeply in an attempt to push down his rage and headed back towards his house. He was not too concerned about what she had uncovered, as the graves were not marked so he did not believe she would not be able to get enough information to dig up his past; however, something must have helped her this far and he would not allow himself to be caught out like this, not with how powerful he was.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail lay peacefully on her front sleeping in her king size bed, it was early hours of the morning and darkness still engulfed the room. Lucas stood in the corner watching his love sleep, he could feel his rage trying to force it's way to the surface after finding out she had intruded on his sacred family plot; however, the last time his rage managed to break free it stalked her like a predator and he could not trust that part of him around her just yet.

He had been standing in the same spot for approximately an hour waiting for a sign of something helping her, but she just remained peacefully asleep unaware of his presence. He did not believe she could have found the graves on her own, which confirmed his previous suspicions that something in his domain was working against him and he could not stand for that.

When Gail let out a low moan he turned his attention back towards her, it appeared whatever was helping her would not show itself when he was present; therefore, he would have to come up with a way to bring it out into the open. Gail let out another soft moan and felt a slight wave of arousal flow through him, he stared at her relaxed body with anger and felt his darkness stir within him. He approached the bed slowly and started removing his clothes, when his clothes were discarded on the floor he carefully got into the bed and stroked his finger up the back of her thigh to determine what garment she was wearing.

Lucas smiled when it became evident she was wearing a short nightdress, then parted her legs gently and positioned himself over her back. He leaned in close to her and inhaled her scent, she moved slightly below him in discomfort; however, his positioning was still perfect and he pushed his hard manhood deep inside her before she could become aware of his presence.

Gail tensed and her eyes shot open at the intrusion within her, then she realized who was over her and relaxed. She let out a loud moan as he pushed in and out of her, then lowered her head into the pillow to stifle her aroused calls.

Lucas pushed her legs further apart with his knees, then began to thrust in and out of her with more force. The intense pleasure of being inside of her washed away his initial rage and he just enjoyed the act of coming together this way. He nipped at her back playfully with his teeth and licked her previous wounds, he was trying to be careful not to leave any marks; however, it was hard when the pleasure became more intense.

Gail clenched the pillow in her fingers and tried to keep her moans to a low volume, so not to wake up the children. This was why they had come to a mutual agreement that any rendezvous would take place in his mansion, at least the sheer vastness of the place hid the noises they made. It was getting harder to control her urges when he was inside of her and she just wanted to call out in pleasure. She felt her climax building and pushed her face deeper into her pillow to stifle her moans, she felt him erupt inside of her when his release came and he collapsed onto her back as she bit into her hand to silence her call when she came.

Lucas nuzzled at her neck then raised his lips to her ear. 'See...you couldn't go without our fun Darlin'' he whispered.

Gail inhaled deeply in an attempt to slow her hard rate, she had been taken off guard by this visit and she was still recovering. 'I'm sure I could find a willing participant if you weren't around Sheriff' she panted sarcastically.

Lucas had removed his still hard manhood slightly to turn her over to face him, then pushed it gently back inside. 'There's no-one who gets you like I do Gail'

'Oh you'd be surprised, I am very close to a certain person in this town...' she teased, '...What would you even do if I did decide to trade you off for someone else?'

Lucas' demeanor changed and he could feel his rage begin to built up again. 'I'd kill you slowly, but not before I made you watch me dispose of the other party' he said more honest than intended and waited for her reaction.

'Oh really? I don't think you've got the balls to let me witness you lose control like that' she said defiantly.

Before Lucas could stop himself he reached up and gripped her throat roughly, he could see the defiance in her eyes and smiled. 'You really don't know what I'm capable of Miss Emory'

'Just do it...I dare you' she said challenging him.

Lucas looked her in the eyes and tightened his grip around her neck, he heard her breath become strained and slowly began to squeeze. 'You're mine Gail...'

'Or you'll kill me?' she interrupted.

Lucas stared at her intently and felt his manhood grow inside her. He gazed in awe when she ran her hands up his chest then scraped her nails down his skin, even though he was restricting her breathing. Her acceptance of his behavior was exciting and he could not resist pushing deeper inside of her.

Gail let out a strained moan as he began to slowly move in and out of her, she should not condone this behavior; however, she had goaded him into acting this way and part of her liked this treatment, even if she would not openly admit it. As his grip grew tighter around her neck she struggled to catch her breath, she would not beg him to release her so she just lay back and allowed him to take her this way.

Lucas leaned his head close to hers and listened to her breath carefully, when it became faint he let go of her neck and kissed her passionately. He had not expected it to have to get this far; however, he knew she was stubborn and she would rather allow a fatal mistake on his part than beg him to release her. He respected that about her and it made their time together more exciting. He sensed a way in with her and he nearly had her where he wanted her to be.

Gail wrapped her legs around him tight and whispered his name when he moved his hands to her hips then up her nightdress to her breasts. She tangled her hands in his hair, then clawed at his back with her nails. Suddenly his hand came up from our of her nightdress and gripped her throat again, this time more forceful and she took hold of his wrist in her hand.

'You've been to places you have no right to go Gail' he panted, while squeezing her neck and thrusting deep within her.

Concern rose within her for a moment as she could sense he was not playing any more, then she pushed the concern away knowing better than to show him fear. 'It's a free country' she said through hoarse breaths and dug her nails into his wrist when his grip tightened even more.

Lucas knew this was the position he needed her in to find out what she had been up to, they were both stripped bear at this moment in time. Although he would happily continue they way they always had, he needed to get her off guard to find out the truth and if she was concerned for her life the unknown party helping her may show themselves. 'My property is not yours to explore, certain parts are sacred...Who led you there?'

Gail could not believe the change in him, she had not been prepared for any of this and cursed herself for being caught unaware. She was struggling to breath now and did not know how long she could last, the look in his eyes indicated this was serious and she could sense his rage. She was taken back to New Year when something evil stalked her and recalled knowing it's intend was malicious. She knew that was Lucas and had barely managed to talk him down then, she did not know where to begin when he appeared to know she had found his families burial site.

'I don't need anyone to lead me Lucas, now get off!' she whispered angrily through strained breaths, choosing not to show weakness.

'You expect me to believe that? You did have help and you will tell me who it was' he said squeezing her throat tighter and felt his climax building within him. He could sense she was still aroused and saw no reason to slow his movements.

Gail felt her climax rising and cursed her body for betraying her, if there was ever a time to stand her ground this was it; however, there was no chance of that in her current position. 'Lucas I can't breath' she panted softly and let go of his wrist to dig her nails into his back, the pleasure of his thrusts were becoming too intense and she was about to unravel.

Lucas could not believe how much pain she was withstanding while allowing him to take her and released his grip on her neck to concentrate on their finish, before he did something he would forever regret. He forced his lips on hers as they came together to stifle their cries and rested his forehead on hers when their climax past.

'I don't need help to dig into your past Lucas and if I've offended you in some way I apologise' she panted and stroked her hand through his her tenderly, then her demeanor changed and she pulled his hair roughly. 'Don't you dare ever try to force something out of me like that again'

Lucas pulled himself out of her, pushed her hand off his head and got up out of the bed. 'That place is sacred Gail, you don't belong there'

Gail took a deep breath and felt a twinge of pain in her throat, then let out a small laugh. 'You don't know where I belong Lucas and I didn't disturb anything, so what's the problem?'

'You disturbed somethin' Darlin' and I won't be able to protect you if you continue down this road...'

'Gail! Are you alright?' Caleb called from outside her bedroom door, he had been awoken by a strange sense that his cousin was in danger and had rushed down to ensure she was OK.

Lucas sighed and shook his head, this was not the time for interruptions.

Gail reached for a tissue to clean herself up, then got out of bed and put on a robe. 'The only disturbed thing here is you Lucas and like you, I don't take well to threats...now get out of my house' she ordered, then went to the bedroom door. When she opened the door a crack, she saw her cousin with a look of concern and gave him a reassuring smile. 'What are you doing up?' she asked.

'I had a bad dream and was worried about you' he said, then burst into the bedroom before Gail could stop him.

Gail spun around hoping Lucas had managed to at least get his clothes on, then looked around confused. There was nobody in the bedroom but her and Caleb; however, her window was locked so she was unsure how Lucas managed to leave without them knowing.

'Can I stay in here with you?...' he asked approaching her bed, then picked up an unusual object which was resting on her pillow. '...What's this?'

Gail took the talisman from his hand and shook her head, this must have been how Lucas knew where she had been and she cursed herself for not ensuring Merlyn was still in possession of it when they left. 'We're not staying in here Caleb...come on, we'll get in your bed'

Caleb smiled and put his arm around his cousins waist, then led her up to his bedroom.

* * *

Matt sat on the boarding house porch drinking a cup of coffee, he had not been able to sleep last night after what he had uncovered and was angry that he had been kept in the dark. When he saw Gail's red Mustang pull up next to the pavement, he drank the rest of the coffee and went to head inside.

'Whoa, where do you think you're going?...We've got things to discuss' Gail said walking up the path.

'I suppose you're right, we've got a lot to discuss' Matt said, trying to keep control of his anger.

Gail regarded her friend suspiciously, she had come here to discuss the loss of control he had with Lucas; however, she sensed hostility in his voice and her guard instantly shot up. 'You're gonna take that tone with me when I got you out of that cell?' she asked agitated.

Matt laughed bitterly, 'You're gonna take that tone with me when you hid being pregnant with Lucas Bucks child?'

Gail stopped when she reached the top of the porch steps and stared at her friend in shock, she had tried to put her lost child out of her mind completely a few months after the incident and was not prepared for the subject being brought up.

There were few people in this town that knew she had been carrying and Matt was not one of them, which meant either someone had told him or he had dug into her private affairs without her authorization. There was no way anyone she knew would betray her trust so that only left the other option. 'Firstly, check your attitude Doctor, especially when you've basically admitted to going through my file unauthorized...and secondly, that was none of your business and still isn't'

Matt could see the anger in her eyes but did not back down, he felt betrayed and her none apologetic attitude did not help the situation. 'My best friends health is my business, it's just a shame there clearly isn't any trust in our friendship otherwise you would've told me'

Gail laughed and shook her head, this must be how Lucas feels when she snoops into his past. She disregarded that thought and turned her attention back towards Matt. 'Oh there was trust here, but there clearly isn't anymore...Goodbye Doctor' she said disappointedly, then turned and walked down the porch steps.

She would not condone this type of behavior from the one person she thought she could truly trust in this town and would not be around someone who would behave in such an unethical way. Someone must have planted the seed for him to consider looking into her records and she was confident she knew who that someone was, she supposed she should have expected Lucas' mind games when Matt was locked up and would deal with him in her own time.

Matt watched Gail leave and felt sick to his stomach, he sensed he had crossed a line; however, he would not apologize, as like his friend he was stubborn and would not admit that he was wrong. It appeared his friendship was over and he could not process that right now, so he headed inside to continue his research into Lucas Buck.

* * *

Caleb strolled along the quiet road which led to Boone's house, Boone had previously told him that his father did not approve of him hanging out with Caleb; however, this made Caleb even more determined to reconnect with his best friend, as they had not been spending much time together this past year.

'I dunno Caleb, my daddy ain't gonna be happy that you're here...can't we just go play somewhere else?' Boone asked dragging his heels along the sidewalk.

Caleb sighed and gave his friend a playful nudge. 'If you keep lettin' your daddy bully you, you'll never be allowed to do anythin''

'Says you!' Boone snapped defensively.

'My daddy never bullied me, he bullied Merly...Besides, he ain't my real daddy' Caleb said smugly.

Boone looked at his friend confused, the look on his face indicated Caleb truly believed Gage was not his father. 'If he ain't your daddy who is?' Boone asked as he approached his front porch.

'I wouldn't take that comment to heart boy, it's just a figure of speech...' Lucas said to Boone then shot Caleb a warning glance, '...Why don't you run up and grab your father for me, we're overdue a little chat'

Caleb watched Boone rush up the porch steps wanting to get away from the Sheriff, he knew his friend was scared of Lucas and felt uncomfortable when he just appeared like he did; however, Caleb was used to it and was not afraid of anything these days. 'Why'd you go and scare him off like that?' Caleb asked moodily.

Lucas laughed, 'I hate to tell you how to be son but announcin' your true lineage in this manner won't end well for you'

'What do you mean? Boone's my friend and wouldn't do nothin''

'Boone would be duty bound to tell his father, who would tell his wife, who would then tell every gossipin' old biddy in this town...' Lucas said putting his arm around his son, '...I doubt that ol' cousin of yours would take kindly to that news comin' across her desk at the Guardian'

Caleb thought on this for a moment and agreed that it would be better to keep the truth to themselves for now, he would have to learn to be more careful. 'Is she alright? I've been dreamin' about her recently'

'Gail?...' Lucas asked and Caleb nodded, '...She's her usual inquisitive self son. She may be pokin' around stuff that might just bite back, but she's alright...What type of dreams have you been havin'?'

Caleb shrugged, he did not like the curious way Lucas was regarding him and knew better than to gossip about his cousin. 'It's nothin'...can I stay with you tonight?' he asked trying to change the subject.

Lucas was taken aback by the frank request, then became agitated when Bob Mckenzie came down the porch steps and interrupted their conversation. 'I guess this is a discussion for later son, you run along with Boone and I'll find you later'

Caleb watched Lucas suspiciously when he led Boone's father away from them, then turned towards his friend. 'You heard Lucas, let's go play while your daddy is distracted' he said and signaled for Boone to follow him out back.

* * *

Merlyn sat behind the counter of Abe's antique store with her elbow propped on the counter and her chin resting in her hand. She was flicking through the pages of a magazine, bored out of her mind and found herself thinking about what had happened in the graveyard behind Lucas' mansion. She could not remember much as it all seemed like a blur; however, she suspected something had happened and it was something big.

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the loud revving of a motorcycle outside the store. Abe popped his head out from his room in the back and Merlyn waved at him to indicate she had this, then decided to exit the store to explore the loud sound. When she got outside she saw Earl sat on his bike casually and she put her hands on her hips. 'Am I supposed to be impressed by this?' she asked, choosing to display some of the confidence her cousin told her that she should have.

Earl took his helmet off, then looked her up and down approvingly. 'You're supposed to hop on' he said, holding out the helmet for her.

Every inch of her body was urging her to jump on the motorcycle and go for a ride with this beautiful boy; however, her common sense reminded her that she could not disappear like she used to when things became difficult and she had a life here, which meant she could not just leave her responsibilities. She sighed and shook her head at her own stupid innocence, then turned back towards the store.

'So that's it, you just blow me off that easily?' Earl asked sarcastically.

Merlyn stopped in her tracks then turned towards Earl, she could see the mischief in his eyes and it excited her. 'Oh I'm not blowing you at all...' she said suggestively, choosing to disregard her innocence for a change.'...In fact, we ain't even started yet'

Merlyn walked confidently back to the store, not believing the comment she had just made. She allowed herself a brief glance behind her and smiled when she saw Earl watching her intrigued, then entered the store and closed the door.

'Everythin' alright girl?' Abe called from the back room, when the motorcycle pulled away and the sound of the engine became faint in the distance.

'Everything's perfect' Merlyn said and smiled to herself.

* * *

Lucas pulled up at his mansion and signaled for Caleb to get out with Rocky. They had stopped off at Gail's house to ask if he could stay with Lucas for the night, when neither Gail nor Merlyn was around he chosen to make an executive decision and Caleb grabbed Rocky knowing his cousin would want him to have company here. Lucas did not mind Rocky, after all he had given the dog to Gail as a puppy. If allowing the dog to stay at his home meant Caleb could stay argument free, then he would happily accept the compromise.

Lucas sensed the familiar uneasy feeling that plagued him the previous night and signaled for Caleb to wait for him indoors. His son was safe enough in his home at this moment in time without him being present and Lucas wanted to be rid of the pesky interfering presence which had started haunting him once and for all. He followed the same path he had the previous night and came out at the fountain, when he looked towards the opening to the wooded area at the back of his garden he spotted Gail sitting casually on the gravestone marked R.B.

Not only was he taken aback as he had expected to see his father, her presence was a direct disregard of his orders and she was blatantly disrespecting the grave she was sat on. 'Did I not make the boundaries of my property clear Miss Emory?' he asked angrily and sensed his fathers warning presence dissipate when he had located the intruder, it appeared his father was trying to be of assistance to him after all.

Gail glanced up from her position, but did not stand up. 'I don't recall any boundaries being discuss Master Buck, although I suppose my loss of memory could be down to a lack of air reaching my brain when the discussion was taking place' she said sarcastically.

Lucas approached her shaking his head and sighed, then grabbed her arm when he reached her and pulled her up off the gravestone. 'I'm sure you remember the word sacred being used Darlin'' he said disapprovingly.

'That I do recall...' she said and leaned closer so she could whisper in his ear, '...however; an empty grave isn't really classed as sacred now is it?'

Lucas pulled away from her confused and shot a suspicious glance at the gravestone marked R.B. The gravestone had been here as long as he could remember and his mind was suddenly swimming with voices that he could not understand her comment.

Gail laughed and pulled her arm free. 'I can tell this is hard to process considering your intellect, so I'll leave you here alone to ponder it for a while' she said walking back towards the fountain.

Lucas did not appreciate his intelligence being questioned and spun around angrily, before he could come back with an appropriate comment he heard the familiar sound of her wild mutt.

'Careful now...' Gail called back to him, '...it appears your tone is about to upset someone'

Lucas shot a warning glance at Gideon then turned his full attention towards Gail, something had definitely changed and he could sense no fear or conflict within her. 'If I snap his neck, I doubt he'd be upset anymore' Lucas said viciously and smiled when he caught the slight flicker of concern in her eyes, which indicated the Gail he knew was still in there.

Gail approached Lucas and stood her ground. 'So not only do you spill my private business to a friend, your gonna kill my dog?'

'I didn't say I was going to kill him Darlin', just gave a suggestion is all'

'So you don't deny giving away my personal details?'

Lucas' smile grew wider, he was finally getting somewhere rather than dancing around the problem. 'What's the matter Miss Emory? Is a certain person you're close to unhappy with the revelation of how connected we really are?' he asked smugly.

Gail shook her head in disbelief and let out a small laugh. 'So your plan was to cause a wedge in my friendship, is that it?'

Lucas shrugged, 'I suppose he's not as fun as you initially thought now that his true colors are on show'

'Neither are you...' Gail spat venomously, '...and jealousy doesn't suit you'

Lucas closed the distance between them and pulled her to his chest. 'I have nothin' to be jealous about Darlin', I know you're not stupid enough to have genuine affections for another man...No, I'm just proving a point'

'Oh and what point would that be?' she asked, trying to hide her anger.

'That I'm the only person who truly knows everythin' about you and doesn't care' he said and caressed her cheek tenderly. Although she was infuriating, he was still drawn to her and would not let her go.

Gail looked deep into his eyes and leaned forward for a kiss, then pulled away slightly before their lips could touch and licked her lips teasingly. 'Malcolm' she whispered, then pulled free of his grasp completely and walked back towards the house.

Lucas stood frozen for a moment, then turned towards her. He could feel his twin clawing to be let out as she walked away and had to use all of his control to keep it caged. 'Gail!' he yelled angrily.

Gail smiled sweetly and turned towards him. 'Yes dear?'

Lucas was furious and her casual attitude infuriated him even more. He needed to know how she had found out the name of his father, it was impossible as he had ensure there were no records anywhere year ago and the graves were not marked. 'How?' he asked bemused.

Gail laughed and shrugged. 'I guess you don't know everything about me after all, do you Sheriff?...' she said smugly and walked past the fountain to the path which led around the side of the house, '...Oh and I'm taking Caleb home, neither of us will be staying here in the near future'

Lucas stared at her retreating figure in anger, he needed to regroup and find out exactly what she knew. He would start by finding out the significance of the the empty grave labelled R.B at the back of his garden and it's connection to his love.

-The End-


End file.
